Physarum dictyospermum Lister & G. Lister, J. Bot.

Treviño-Zevallos, Italo, García-Cunchillos, Iván, Basanta, Diana Wrigley De & Lado, Carlos, 2023, Diversity of Myxomycetes from Peru Part III: The high Andes and the altiplano, Phytotaxa 624 (1), pp. 1-92 : 67

124. * Physarum dictyospermum Lister & G. Lister, J. Bot. 43: 112 (1905)

Specimens examined. PERU. Ancash: Carhuaz, route AN-107, km 28, Pampa de Ulta , 3817 m, 9º09′17”S, 77º34′07”W, 23 May 2014, wood and bark of Polylepis sp. , Lado 23836 (MA-Fungi 95490). Recuay, Catac, route AN-110, km 18, Querococha lagoon, 4040 m, 9º43′27”S, 77º20′02”W, 24 May 2014, branches of Polylepis sp. , Lado 23874 (MA-Fungi 95524) . Arequipa: Arequipa, Chiguata, route PE-34C, 31 km east of Chiguata , 4053 m, 16º23′35.6”S, 71º19′07.2”W, 10 Oct 2012, branches, leaves and bark of Polylepis rugulosa, Lado 22366 (MA-Fungi 94890, USM) . Pasco: Pasco, Yanacancha, La Quinua, route PE-3N, km. 144,5, 3642 m, 10º37′28”S, 76º10′28”W, 18 May 2018, bark of Polylepis sp. , Lado 26981 (MA-Fungi 97733). Yanacancha, Pariamarca, route PE-3N, km 141, 3701 m, 10º38′46”S, 76º10′06”W, 18 May 2018, woody debris of Polylepis sp. , Lado 26993 (MA-Fungi 97745) .

Notes. This species is easily distinguishable by the reticulate spores and brownish to caramel sporothecae ( Fig. 4B ). According to Lister (1925), the species can present orange crystalline discs in the peridium, absent in the Peruvian specimens.

Figures

FIGURE 4. A. Sporocarps of Physarum crateriforme (MA-Fungi 95849). B. Physarum dictyospermum (MA-Fungi 97733). C. Physarum rubiginosum (MA-Fungi 95762). D. Physarum squamosum (MA-Fungi 95240). E. Spores by SEM of Physarum synsporum (MA-Fungi 94524). F. Sporocarps of Polyschismium trevelyanii (MA-Fungi 96168). Scales A-D, F = 0.2 mm; E = 5 µm.